


Sands of Time in a Broken Hourglass

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-26
Updated: 2008-06-26
Packaged: 2019-01-19 11:06:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12409152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: After twenty years, Alice wakes up.





	Sands of Time in a Broken Hourglass

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

The leaves look a little greener today. Maybe I just want them to be. Well, of course I want them to be greener. In all the time I’ve been here not a thing’s changed — no growth, no life. No weather. No seasons. Nothing. And when it comes to that, how long have I been here? A few hours? Or maybe a hundred years. It all becomes rather confusing. 

What a shame there’s no way to keep track of the passing time. Surely Frank could think up something if he were here.

Stop that. Stop that this instant. Because he’s not here, is he? So just stop feeling sorry for yourself and just…I don’t know, deal with it. Go look for some life. Anything. Just find something! I hate being lost in this garden because it never ends. There’s nothing outside of it. How on earth did I ever get here? I was in a house just a moment ago.

No, that wasn’t a moment ago. It was last week. Last year? Then why don’t I remember what I’ve been doing between then and now? Surely I couldn’t have forgotten an entire year of my life. It must have been recently.

I fell asleep, that’s it. Just sleeping. Perhaps I’m sleeping right now. Dreams only last a second or so in reality, but while you’re in them they seem to take forever. Sweet Merlin, Alice, shut up for a moment. I need to think, and all you’re doing is getting thoroughly confused.

No, see, there’s a bit of mist. That’s a new development. There’s never been any sort of weather change here before, always just a pleasant breeze. Like that day in St. Mungo’s Garden. With Frank. Frank and the baby. Oh, that adorable little baby. I’ll take Neville back to that garden when I wake up, I think. He should like that.

That mist is getting awfully thick.

Oh, now what? I can’t see a thing. It’s freezing in here. Maybe I should just stop complaining and enjoy what I’ve got - I’d much rather have it go back to that pleasant breeze. I suppose that’s what I get for grumbling and groaning about it for two decades.

Nice going, Alice.

It seems to be clearing up a bit. Now that’s much better. There’s the garden again. Air’s getting more humid too. How nice. Oh, of course, and there it goes again. Come one, now, all I want is a bit of sunshine.

Well there’s some light poking through the fog now, but that’s certainly not sunlight. 

Let’s see now, that’s a lamp. 

And that’s a curtain.

And a door.

And a bed. I seem to be in it. Why am I in a bed? I’m not remotely tired.

And is that…? No, that’s not Frank. How silly of me, that’s an old man next to me. Now let’s see, who is that man on my other side? Same age. Same build. Very handsome. Now if he’d just turn his head… No, certainly not Frank. Wonderful. I’ll have to ask them where he is. And my baby. Ah well, at least I’m not alone anymore.


End file.
